Ecology in Tangerine

Muck fires are fires that burn underground. They are started by decomposing vegetation spontaneously combusting or when the dried vegetation is struck by lightening. These fires can burn for weeks and are hard to extnguish. When burning underground, they create a horrible odor that lasts for weeks. (answers.com/fire extinguisherswww.cityfire.com)

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/news/2006-05-10-florida-muck-fires_x.htm

In Tangerine, Mr Costello, Paul's Dad is asked to replace the Director of Civil Engineering, when the current Director was removed for never caring about his job. Mr. Costello inherited alot of problems, including the muck fire. In order to end the fire, he hired a contractor to dig wells around the fire. The wells would pump water and hopefully, put the fire out. The solution did not work.

What happened was the water created a swamp around the fire, which created a breeeding ground for mosquitoes. To destroy the mosquitoes, the area had to be sprayed with an insecticide, which could be harmful to animals and people.

Mosquitoes found their niche in the swamp area. A niche is a habitat which supplies the factors necessary for an organism to survive (Merriam-Webster.com). Mosquitoes need water, shade and high levels of moisture to survive. They also need standing water to reproduce. A swamp is a perfect place for mosquitoes to breed.

The problem with mosquitoes is that they carry disease. They carry the parasites in their bodies and pass them to people or animals. The parasites that mosquitoes carry include those that cause malaria, yellow fever and Africian Sleeping Sickness. These are deadly diseases.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/list_mosquitoborne.htm

Because mosquitoes may carry parasites that cause disease, Mr. Costello made the right decision to have someone spray to eliminate the problem. But, the best way to eliminate the problem would be for the swamp to dry up, to eliminate the breeding area.

But, then the muck fire still burns....